Dear Josh,

I’ve been training seriously for about one year and although I saw much progession (lost fat, gained muscle) for the first year. However, I’ve lost the edge now when I’ve even increased my training hrs over the last couple months, to the point where I even have weeks with no days off. I eat at least 5 meals daily and drink plenty of water. I try to sleep well, although lately I find it more difficult to get and stay asleep. Please help!

John (Wales)

Dear John,

You are, in a nutshell, over training! Muscles grow when you recover from training, not while you train. More is not better! Take one week off right now or you will either get sick or get injured.  When you get back to training don’t train more than 5 days a week and in that 3 max are weight training days with a day in between each. Think of your non-training days as an essential part of your fitness regime. Its always the quality of training, never the quantity that counts.

Josh Salzmann

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Congratulations goes to my former client Kate Winslet on her Golden Globe and Bafta awards. I trained Kate for her role in the movie Titanic. She had to get in top shape not just so she could look her best but so that she could handle the extremely demanding filming. To make the sinking of the ship look real all had to be filmed in freezing water, otherwise  there would be steam and the shots would  look like a sauna. Hours were spent filming in this extremely physically draining situation. 

I remember Kate telling me at the time how tough it was and how many actors came down with chest infections. Kate put her heart and soul into her fitness regime. We trained 3 times a week with resistance using many own body exercises such as pushups, squats, and chin-ups all done to failure.  She did another 2 sessions a week of cadio alternating between a stationary bike and running. No session lasted more than an hour and the 2 days off were chosen week by week depending how muscular recovery responded.

Today, Josh’s new videos for the CNN Living Golf feature were launched on the CNN web site. 

View them here:

• Introducing Josh Salzmann
• Pre game warm up

Josh Salzmann (centre) with Chris and Andy from CNN

Welcome to all visitors to FI for the week of Feb 2nd 2009. As I write this update I find the contrast amazing between warm and sunny Dubai, where I have just spent the last 5 days, and the beautiful blanket of snow covering London this Monday morning.

 
I attended the Dubai Desert  Classic golf tournament last week, in my new position as CNN International  World Sport’s fitness expert. This new post will include showing fitness routines on air, a blog on their website linked to FI, and interviews dealing with current sporting topics. All of this means we at FI can reach out to a larger audience and bring more information to them as well.

I had a chance in Dubai to spend some time with my good friend and former boss Ernie Els. I worked for three and a half years with Ernie and traveled the world as his full time personal trainer. Anyone who knows golf, knows how great a golfer Ernie is, however he has also touched the lives of so many people in a positive way with his foundation for young golfers in South Africa, as well as his work for autism. There are more big wins in Ernie’s  tank and I’m sure we will see each other in the future for a workout or two.

Dubai skyline

Although Dubai has been feeling the world economic downturn it’s filled with fantastic fitness facilities and people who are second to none in terms of making one feel at home. This part of the world however has a huge number of people who suffer from lifestyle disease such as diabetes and cardiovascular ailments. There is more effort now in trying to get information to people there about how individuals can become proactive with their health through correct exercise and nutrition.
For all of you in the snow in southeast England enjoy but be careful traveling whether by foot or car. Until our next update, stay healthy in body and spirit.   
Josh Salzmann